Chapter
8
“I
have got to stop calling you from payphones, it’s costing me an absolute
fortune.”
“Then
you call me from your mobile phone.”
“I don’t have a mobile phone. I don’t even need one. Besides, I couldn’t
exactly use it if I did have one. I’m in hospital.”
“I know that, Taylor.”
I twirled a lock of my hair around one finger. “Look, if you’re so worried
about me come and visit. Maybe this weekend.”
“Maybe,” Aisling echoed. “But don’t forget what my biggest fear is.”
For as long as I have known Aisling, she has had a fear of hospitals. Given a
choice, she’d never even set foot in one.
“Please?”
“Oh, all right. Saturday it is.” She paused for a few seconds. “Tell me, how
have you been feeling lately?”
I resisted the temptation to touch the line of stitches that extended down my
chest. “A lot better than I was just after our skirmish game,” I replied.
“That’s one day I’m never going to forget, for all the wrong reasons.”
“There’s more to it, Taylor. I’m not stupid.”
“I’m getting there.” I stuck my hand into the pocket of my jeans and pulled out
a few coins, then dropped them into the coin slot of the payphone. “I’ve
finally been allowed to get out of bed and walk around. Mum said I’ll be home
in a week or so.”
“That’s good. Look, I gotta go. Want me to bring anything with me when I come
and visit?”
“Chocolate,” I answered automatically. “I haven’t had any for a week at least.”
“Well, how about I bring a packet of Caramello Koalas with me?”
“Hell yeah! That sounds great.”
Aisling chuckled. “I better go, okay? I love you.”
“I love you too.”
I replaced the handset and collected my change. Right now all I wanted was to
be able to listen to my Linkin Park CD, but I’d neglected to take it with me.
I’d just turned around when I heard my name.
“Taylor Hanson? What are you doing here?”
I looked over my shoulder. “Becki Tucker?” I asked in disbelief. Becki’s the
daughter of my French teacher, Mrs. Abigail Tucker. We used to be in the same
class before she left Emerald Cove High.
Becki walked up so as to be within my hearing range. “You’d better believe it’s
me.” She tilted her head to the side. “Why’re you in here?”
“I’m sick, okay? Look, I’m heading back to my room now. Come with me and I’ll
tell you why.” I spotted the look that was creeping onto her face. “And I have
a girlfriend, so get the idea out of your head right now.”
Becki giggled.
When we were back in my room, and I had settled myself on my bed, I told Becki
why I was in the hospital. “I had an operation about a week ago,” I explained.
I unbuttoned my shirt and showed Becki the stitches. “I pretty much would have
died if I hadn’t had it done.”
“Sounds serious.”
“It was,” I agreed. “So why are you here?”
Becki shrugged. “My sister had her baby, so I’m visiting. In a couple of days
I’m back up on that ol’ catwalk.”
Becki’s a catwalk model. She travels all over the world, modelling for various
magazines and fashion designers. And she’s damn good at it too.
- x -
Isaac
came for a visit on the Saturday. He brought a chessboard and proceeded to teach
me how to play. We were halfway through our second game when my girlfriend
walked in the door. “Aisling!” I half-shouted, and pushed the chessboard away.
“Brought you a present,” she said, grinning. “Hey, Isaac.”
Aisling
zipped open her backpack and produced a packet of Caramello Koalas, as she had
promised. She tossed them to Isaac. “Divide them up,” she instructed.
“So
how’s life up north?” I asked. I bit into one of the chocolates and sucked out
the caramel.
“Same
as always. Hey, I had an idea. You know how you were planning to go up to
Surfers Paradise for Schoolies Week?”
I
nodded. “Well, I have a far better idea. My mum is completely opposed to my
going to the real Schoolies Week, so…” She pulled a blue folder from her
backpack and flipped it open. “My aunt has a house down near Huskisson. She is
willing to let us run riot there for a week or two, provided we don’t trash the
place. We get Austar, broadband Internet access, a DVD player, a widescreen
television and a PlayStation2. She’ll be in Brisbane for two weeks, from
December 2nd until the 16th. So we’ll have the place completely to ourselves.”
“How
long do we have to decide?”
“Until
the end of April. Otherwise she’ll rent it out to my cousins. It’ll cost each
of us $15 a week.”
“I
love that idea. But let’s discuss it with everyone else, okay?”
Aisling
grinned. “Let’s hope they all say yes.”
I
packed the chess pieces up. “I’m definitely coming home on Wednesday,” I said.
“I’m making progress quicker than was expected, so on Monday the stitches come
out.”
“Can
I have a look?” Aisling asked.
“At
what?” I asked jokingly.
Aisling
hit me gently. I laughed and unbuttoned my shirt. “There it is,” I said. “It’s
gonna leave one hell of a scar.”
“That
it will,” Aisling agreed. She went quiet. “I was really scared after you left.
I actually dreamed that you died.”
“I
nearly did,” I admitted. “I came this close.” I held my thumb and
forefinger at a tiny interval. “But I’m alive, and that’s pretty much all that
matters.”
My
life is precious to many people. My parents, my friends, my brothers and
sisters, myself. And I don’t even want to imagine what would have happened if
Aisling’s nightmare had been reality.
